Just Pure Lovely

There's Room for Two

I bet you'll see a lot more of me now.  After months of not being able to get my photos on the blog without taking several long steps to do so, I finally sent a note to Support.  And guess what?  It took only two minutes to ask them for help in order to figure out the problem.

Yet I had procrastinated on asking them for...months.  

There are quite a few unpleasant tasks I have been procrastinating on lately.  

I've been putting out the fires - the things that pop up in a day and scream "Me, NOW!" like, being in time for ballet lessons, or picking up our teen from his job, or buying groceries.

But the things that ground me, that make me me - like swinging on our backyard swing - have been put aside, along with unpleasant tasks that aren't screaming loudly enough (such as contacting my blog's support for help).  

For a couple hours this morning, I worked on creating a little manifesto for my life.  I'm not done; I'll share it with you when I am.  

I'm ready to swing again. There's room for two. Wanna join me? 

On Busy Days & Raising Teens

I have never in my life known busyness as I know it now.  As of yesterday, we have three teenagers in the house.  No, don't say you're sorry.  I absolutely love teens; in fact, they're in my favorite childhood stage so far as a mom.  

But this is also the most exhausting stage.  As I type, at nearly 2am, one of them is still up.  And one goes to work at 7am.  I drive 40-90 miles per weekday to take one to basketball, one to dance, one to work, two to wind ensemble, three to archery...and so on.  

I miss nap times and early bedtimes.  Oh, how I miss those free moments. 

But I would never go back, for I love the moments now.  Yesterday, the same day our third child turned into a teenager, our 17-year-old went across the state line with Dad and came home with this....

I am so proud of him.  He patiently waited for just the type of car he wanted (something classic) and, when he found it, he paid for it with his own cash.  

I have so many words in my head, so much I want to write, so many crafts I want to stitch or purl, books I want to read, flowers I'd like to plant, but right now...I'm busy investing in three teens who are on the very edge of going out into the world - one in a 1962 Mercury Monterey.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

I'm taking my annual blogging break from all of my blogs, so I can concentrate on making memories with our family.  While I'm on break, you can still find me online occasionally:

On Pinterest

On Instagram

Have a wonderful holiday season with your family!  I will see you in 2013!

 

 

When the World is Scary

 

Our eldest two children, now 15 and 17, remember 9/11.  They were just 4 and 6 on the day America was attacked by terrorists, and though they don't remember details of the events, they remember they were scared.  And they remember mama was scared. 

Along with most of America, I was nearly motionless, staring at the television, obsessing over the video footage, and listening to commentators say the same things over and over. After several days, my little boy, whom I thought wasn't really paying attention, asked, "Why does the plane keep crashing into that building?" 

I looked at him with full attention for the first time in days, and at that moment, I realized:  I wasn't living in my present. 

I was taking care of my family's basic needs, but I wasn't really living. 

Knowing I could do nothing for those affected, but I could do much for my family, I turned off the television and began living again.  I continued praying for those affected, while shielding myself - and them - from news that wasn't "new."

Since that time, when a tragic event happens, I gather information through online news, then sit down with the children to talk to them about what happened.  I usually add, "this happened very far away," because a small child does not realize the world is large.  I reassure them of their safety, and we pray together for those affected.  When possible, we brainstorm ways we can help ease the pain of those involved - through a craft project, by mailing a hand-made card, or through physically helping during local hurricanes & tornadoes. 

But above all, we keep living in our present.

Subscribe to Just Pure Lovely here

5 Gifts Kids Can Make This Weekend

On my FreelyEducate.com blog, I posted 5 Gifts Kids Can Make .  My kids and I are creating this weekend!  Are you?

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Subscribe to FreelyEducate here

On True Love

“Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being 'in love' which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Those that truly love, have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree and not two.” 

― Louis de Bernières, Captain Corelli's Mandolin*

p.s. This is us, 20 years of marriage into the thick of it.  "It's inconceivable that we should ever part."

 

 

*I haven't read this book, so I'm not necessarily recommending it.  I just like this quote.

Want to Help a Kid Out?

Say you're looking for a unique Christmas gift - for yourself, or ...someone -  and say you've got a bit of extra change in your pocket, and say you want to help a 15-year-old out with her business idea and ballerina dreams....

I have the solution for you! :)  (of course you knew I'd say that).

My daughter opened an etsy shop on October 1st with her own designs,  hand-crocheted  by herself.  And....um, well, not a single soul has ordered from her little shop.  All of the items right now are wool, and range from $10 shipped to $30 shipped. 

You get the item pictured; it's that unique.  There isn't another one exactly like it in the entire world -  she likes to move on to a new design rather than create replicas.

Here's my gal:

And here's her shop:

Thank you for visting it, and for favoriting, sharing, tweeting, etc. while there. 

I'm updating this page often....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Subscribe to FreelyEducate here

Cyber Monday Deals & Freebies

You're going to want to visit my other blog, Freely Educate, today.  I'm finding really good deals and freebies to highlight for Cyber Monday. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Subscribe to FreelyEducate here

From Us to You....

Thank you for being part of my life for almost 5 years.  I appreciate you so much.  I write this blog for me; it's healing for me; but when it also touches you ..... wow. 

There are no words but..... "Happy Thanksgiving to you."

Time Alone.

Subscribe to Just Pure Lovely here

Photo taken by me; Graphic created by my 15-year-old, Brittany Seaborg